Today's weather for Aqaba, Jordan5th Jul 2009 19:00

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Weather Overview for Aqaba

Aqaba, or Al’ Aqabah, is Jordan’s only port. It receives a dry Mediterranean climate of baking hot summers, very warm winters and very low rainfall. Most of Jordan is desert but areas near water are highly fertile and in the Jordan Rift Valley temperatures are even warmer than surrounding regions. The port sees 360 days of sunshine per year.

Summer, from April till October Aqaba is ridiculously hot and incredulously dry. The average high temperature heats up from a blistering 31°C in April to a bewildering 40°C in July and cools back down to 33°C, which is barely an improvement. The peak of season expects around twelve hours of sunshine per day. In late summer, Aqaba can be subject to hot, dry winds from Arabia, called khamsin, exacerbating the deadly conditions. Needless to say, the risk of dehydration and heat stroke is high, not to mention sunburn. It is advisable to avoid staying out in the sun for prolonged periods during the peak heat of the day. In these temperatures the balmy 25°C sea seems refreshingly cool. A cool wind is said to blow from the south, but it would be wise to be suspicious of claims that cite this as something that makes the weather bearable or, dare you believe it, pleasant. Saying that, Aqaba is bone dry which helps to quell the effect of the heat. From May till October an average of zero, that’s right, zero days of rain per month.

In winter, from November till March, rainfall increases dramatically… to one day of rain on average per month. The average high temperature drops from 27°C in November to 21°C in January, and ambles back up to 26°C in March, altogether rather more pleasant. However, nights can be quite chilly, getting down to 15°C as early as November, under 10°C in January and back up to 14°C in March. A sweater is certainly necessary. The vast difference between day and night time temperatures seen throughout the year and throughout Jordan, is due to the aridity of the region. Aqaba does not get as cold areas out of the Rift Valley; Amman, in the hilly region of northwest Jordan, does not see average high temperatures exceeding 30°C, and regularly sees snow in winter.

Alaqba sits in the southern end of the Jordan Rift Valley. While not far from the Mediterranean Sea, Jordan is landlocked save for the 26.5 km stretch of gulf coast on the Gulf of Aqaba, where Aqaba is located. While half of the Dead Sea is in Jordan, it is technically a salt lake. Alaqba owes its climate to its low elevation on a warm gulf coast. Perhaps the best time to visit the city is at the very beginning and very end of winter, when temperatures are high in the day and cool in the night, without extremes. The attraction of this resort is clear: incredible corals, stunning beaches, absolutely minimal rainfall and incredible archaeological sites such as Petra, the rose-red city carved into the landscape. However, its popularity has lead to a dominance of luxury resorts and the emergence of man-made beaches.

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